Elysian Annihilator 2021 VS qdc Anole VX

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Elysian Annihilator 2021 arrives as a boutique flagship from Malaysia with a clear resin shell, gold faceplate, and uncommon Pentaconn Ear connectors. Inside sits a Foster dynamic for bass, four BAs for mids, and dual Sonion ESTs for treble. The tuning skews bright V-shaped: engaging yet potentially intense for treble-sensitive listeners. Bass is mid-bass tilted with punch but comes off dry and compressed, and persistent driver flex detracts at this price bracket.

The midrange is where the technical muscle shows—exceptional resolution and clarity with a slightly digital edge to timbre. Treble is the headline: a rare, proper EST implementation that’s blazing fast, captures microdetail effortlessly, and uses a subtle ~6 kHz dip to make upper harmonics materialize with immediacy. Extension feels remarkably linear into the air region, delivering space and sheen without veering harsh, provided one isn’t hypersensitive up top.

On technicalities, this set plays in the top echelon: detail retrieval rivaling (and in midrange, surpassing) usual benchmarks like U12t, impressive width and openness, and uncompressed macrodynamics. Trade-offs exist—note weight and transient density are lighter, hurting coherency and lending a slightly raw character. Value is tough at multi-kilobuck, but as a showcase of speed, extension, and treble mastery, Annihilator 2021 earns a spot among the few IEMs that genuinely feel world-class.

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qdc’s Anole VX shows up with 10 balanced armatures, slick build, proprietary reinforced pins, and tuning switches—but the stock setting steals the spotlight for raw technical pop. Detail retrieval is exceptionally resolving, with crisp transients that edge out heavy hitters like the U12t. Bass carries typical BA traits—limited texture—yet still hits with slam and rumble, even before nudging the bass switch. It’s not neutral down low, and the immediate impression is sheer clarity and speed.

The quirks appear in spatial and tonal polish. Midrange imaging feels unusual—stage is wide and tall but lacks depth projection, so center vocals that should sit further back can feel oddly placed. Treble brings another wrinkle: on some electronic tracks, upper effects can turn rough or fatiguing, hinting at a peak interaction. Timbre remains recognizably BA-leaning—a touch plasticky and light in weight—but not artifact-ridden.

As a whole, the VX screams technical prowess—one of the most resolving IEMs around—yet the combination of BA timbre, shallow depth, and occasional treble grit makes the signature feel sterile. It dazzles at first listen with its high-res sheen, then settles into a precision instrument: impressive, incisive, and polarizing depending on tolerance for its textural and staging trade-offs.

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Brushed titanium Elysian Annihilator (2021) comes dressed to impress: a slick presentation with SpinFit tips, a plush micro-suede case, and a flashy gold cube 4.4 cable termination. The shells are crystal clear, showing off a 7-driver tribrid layout (1 Foster dynamic, 4 BA, 2 EST) in a four-way crossover, rated at 22Ω. The cable is beefy and terminated in Pentaconn Ear at the IEM side—sturdier than MMCX, but not the most convenient for aftermarket swaps. Price is a gut-punch: $3,000 (plus a little extra for the titanium finish), which sets expectations sky-high before a single note plays.

Sonically, this thing is an information firehose. Micro-details, ambient cues, and the “stuff between the notes” pop into focus with an airy, ultra-resolved presentation that separates elements like they’re each in their own display case. It’s engaging and never boring, pushing “one more track” syndrome hard. Bass is tight and competent but not a sub-bass thunder god, and it’s not the undisputed champ of every category; instead, the signature leans on clarity, layering, and treble finesse to deliver a different, highly technical flavor that stands apart from more “natural” single-DD favorites.

Value talk gets spicier. Price-to-performance keeps it from “perfect score” territory, even though overall quality screams top-tier. Think halo car logic: breathtaking in its lane, not a universal daily driver. The takeaway: a fantastic, fun, high-end tribrid that excels at resolution and air, memorable for how it sculpts space and detail—just don’t expect it to demolish every rival on bass slam or justify its cost purely on rational math. Call it a deserved 9/10 on enjoyment and execution, with the sticker price as the only real annihilator.

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Elysian Annihilator 2021 presents a highly balanced yet distinctly treble-forward tuning: energetic upper mids paired with world-class treble that delivers striking clarity, microdetail, and separation without veering into fatigue. Elements in the mix stay cleanly delineated, producing a “technical monster” character that prioritizes transparency and precision. Bass is good—tasteful and supportive—but clearly not the centerpiece.

Against the 2023 revision, the 2021 model keeps its edge in midrange clarity, while the newer set adds bass texture and physicality with essentially the same excellent treble. The choice is preference: pursue the 2021 for its crystalline definition and speed, or lean 2023 for a touch more realism down low. Given the small delta in overall quality and strong demand for the 2021, sticking with it remains a very safe and arguably more “reference-leaning” play for those who prize resolution above all else.